Bracket for a valve fixture



' INVENTolL L o uis Torzq nice .BY v

- A T ToRNE YS.

L. 'roRToRlcE BRACKEIFOR A VALVE FIXTURE Filed Aug. 29, 1956 Feb. 2S, '195s lll United States Patent O BRACKET FOR A VALVE FIXTURE Louis Tortorice, Bristol, R. I.

Application August 29, 1956, Serial No. 606,802

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-191) This invention relates to a bracket for a valve xture such as may be used for a combination bathtub and shower in which there are usually three tubular parts to be supported in the wall and is an improvement on my earlier Patent No. 2,661,483, dated February 8, 1953.

Heretofore, fixtures of the character here referred to have been supported by some sort of a piece of wood, sometimes bored, to receive the three tubular parts of the fixture. This is a hand operation done on the job and measurement is required for accurately spacing the holes to be bored.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a preformed or Prefabricated bracket which will have openings of a size to receive the standard valve parts therein, the bracket being so constructed and arranged that it may be adjusted to be supported between upright studs of the building even though they may be somewhat varying in the distances they are apart.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket which is equipped with means for centering the parts of the valve fixture which pass through the bracket and for clamping these parts securely in such centered position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket which has supports which are easily adjustable for accommodation between studs or uprights of various sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bracket which will have a greater range of adjustability for accommodation between studs or uprights than may be had in the bracket of my earlier patent above referred to.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the bracket showing the valve lixture as secured in place therein;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bracket alone;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on substantially line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating the means of holding the parts of the valve fixture in position; and

Figure 4 is a fragmental elevational view showing one end of the bracket with the wing portion in a collapsed position.

In proceeding with this invention, I have provided a body member with a plurality of openings in this body member from some of which collars extend, these collars being cylindrical and with their axes parallel. Adjustably secured to each end of the body member there are supporting or wing members which may be guided in the body member but which may be held in various positions of adjustment with reference to the body member. The portion of each of the wings which extends parallel to the body is centrally slotted with the slot of sutlicient width so that the slotted wing part may extend along or straddle each of the collars so that maximum collapsibility of the wing on the body may be had. These wings have portions extending at right angles to the body memfirice ber to be secured to the insides or sides nearest each other of upright studs of a building adjacent the point of mounting of the valve for the combination shower and tub fixture.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates a pair of studs which are upright in a building into which the valve fixture 11 is to be installed. This valve fixture comprises three tubular parts 12, 13 and 14 which are connected together and are so arranged that the hot water may be turned on bythe manipulation through the tube 12, the cold water by manipulation through the tube 14, while manipulation through the tube 13 directs the water either into the tub or to the shower over the tub depending upon the manipulation of this part. Handles are usually provided on the vstems 12', 13 and 14 for this purpose. Y

The bracket which I have provided is designated generally 15 and consists of a body part 16 which may be of cast construction of a shape shown in perspective in Figure 2, from which showing it will be observed that at the opposite ends of the body and on one side thereof there are otiset strip portions 17 spaced from the platelike body 16 and held in this spaced relation by laterally extending flanges 18. Opposite these strip portions 17 there is a void 19 which has the appearance of the body being cut away. This is to lighten this part of the casting while providing end portions 20 of each of the strips and anges which are solid and one piece with the body 16 so as to hold these strip portions well supported by the body and providing a guide groove between the strip portions 17 and the body for a purpose to be explained.

A plurality of openings 21, 22 and 23 arranged with their centers in line are provided in the body 16 and from the end openings cylindrical collars 24 and 25 extend on the same side of the member 16, and the cylindrical collars 24 and 25 have their axes parallel. On the top of each collar there is a thickened boss 26 which has a threaded opening 27; and through each of these threaded openings, there extends a screw 28 having a slotted head with its inner end engaging the tubular part of the valve 11 such as at 14 shown in Figure 3 and forcing it into the arcuate portion 29 of the collar which serves to center the valve fixture with reference to the bracket bringing the parts into their relative position as shown in Figure 1.

In order that the screw 28 may be readily accessible by a tool such as a screw driver, the rail 17 is provided with a recess 30 so as to afford a straight line access to this set screw 28.

The body 16 is provided with wing members designated generally 31 each L-shaped with one leg 32 of the L being slidable in the guide 33 formed between the strip 17 and the body 16, the width of this leg being substantially the distance between the inner surfaces of the flanges 18. This leg portion 32 is slotted or cut away as at 34 in a width suiicient so that this leg may slide along on either side of the collar 24 and the same at Vthe other end of the collar 25 ystraddling this collar and enabling the leg to collapse a maximum distance with reference to the body. In fact, it may collapse so that the other leg 35 of the L contacts the end of thebody.

In order to secure this leg 32 in place, I have provided tapped openings 36 in each of the strips 17, the same being threaded to accommodate screws 37 (see Figures 1 and 4) which may be threaded through these openings and against the leg 32 so as to force it against the body 16 and hold it in adjusted position in which it is clamped. The portion of leg remaining on either side of the slot 34 is sufcient so as to bridge the void or open space 19 and provide a firm support for each of the legs on the opposite side of the slot in the leg 32. Y

In order to secure the wing portion, the leg 35 and the l.. are provided with openings 38 at such location that a nail 40 may be passed through this opening 38 and driven into the studs 10Without the driving hammer striking the collars 24 or 25.

I claim:

1. A bracket for a valve xture having a plurality of equally spaced tubular parts extending parallel to each other in a straight line, comprising an elongated body having guide grooves at each longitudinal edge thereof opening one towards the other, said body having 'a plurality of openings through which said tubular members are adapted to project, said openings extending in a straight line substantially midway between the longitudinal edges of said body and spaced from each other a distance substantially equal to the spacing of said tubular members and each being of a size much larger than said tubular members crosswise thereof, collars surrounding some of said openings and each collar having a threaded member extending through the wall thereof for engaging and clamping the tubular member projecting therethrough against the wall of said collar, and an L-shaped wing part at each end portion of said body having one leg of the L slidably received in said guide grooves and provided with an open ended slot of a size to receive a collar so as to be capable of being slid along on either side of the collar, and binding means along the guiding portions of the body for engaging said leg and holding it in place.

2. A bracket as in claim 1 wherein the body portion providing the guide grooves is provided with a threaded opening and a screw is in said thread opening and engages said leg ofthe L to hold the same in place.

Huguelet May 11, 1943 Tortorice Dec. 8, 1953 

